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    Coronado Butterfly Preserve

    4.5 (94 reviews)

    Coronado Butterfly Preserve Parks Photos

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    agnes c.

    Plenty of space for everybody...everyone is pleasant and respectful....& always Love spending time w/Mother Nature!!

    Creek improvements in the main Grove

    No monarchs December 8, 2025. Well maybe I saw one fluttering around but looking up in the eucalyptus trees not seen the thousands that I've seen before in the past this is a shame .

    Sushant Z.

    Headed to the preserve to see if we could see a butterfly and we did! Just one but it was beautiful. Remember to look up in the trees at the flowers. Probably already the end of the season.

    Elisa H.

    It felt so good to return to the butterfly preserve after many years away. As one who raises monarch's this preserve has my heart. I'm told this years numbers are higher than last which really warms my heart. If you have never been, once you get to the preserve follow the trail into the grove. Due to the recent rains, be sure you are wearing hiking boots or solid walking shoes. It's an easy walk for all ages. Hope you have a chance to see this beautiful sight, now is a good time to go!

    Jo S.

    We're lucky to have such a nature paradise relatively close to LA, about 2 hours drive uo North passed Santa Barbara. The Reserve isn't hard to find, there's plenty of parking, free to visit and park. You need to hike (nothing strenous) up the main trail and you'll find it in about 10 minutes of walking. So, wear comfy shoes, follow the signs and the path. It's a nice nature walk. Best time to go is between Nov-February, during migration season so you can see a lot of beautiful monarch butterflies flying around. I went in December and it didn't dissappoint. It can get cooler and it's a shady area so bring a jacket. I could have at the Reserve forever. We surely took our time to explore this unique spot, admire the views, the butterflies, take photos, we were in no rush. There was a nice docent around, but it wasn't crowded. Lots of monarch butterflies to see and learn about them and the migration process. There are more hiking trails ahead to some beautiful bluffs where you can see the ocean. You can extend your hike, nothing crazy once again and admire some incredible views. Check it out if you visit Santa Barbara area, you can leave some money in the donation box, if you can't, pick up your trash and respect the nature and its butterflies. It was a privilege to visit and I'd go again in a heartbeat! This area is a little heaven for nature lovers, a romantic spot as well. We stopped here during an anniversary trip and it was spectacular!

    Signage
    Angela R.

    This butterfly preserve is a must bookmark if you're wanting to get out and explore nature. The monarch butterflies migrate every November through February, but I would recommend coming in the earlier months. I came here with my son in January and we didn't see the usual clusters of butterflies, but we did see them flying around. Not as many as we would of liked to have seen, but they still showed their presence. There are endless trails here to explore. You will feel as if you stepped into a fairy tale forest setting, the more you venture into the woods. Stick to the path and follow the butterfly trail markers. These will lead you to the grove, which is a little over half a mile. I recommend bringing a light sweater, as it is much cooler and a little damp as you walk further into the preserve. There were a lot of families on the day of our visit. This made me feel safer going into the heart of the woods. It's definitely a place you don't want to be alone in. As you venture further into this magical place, you will find some really fun places to hangout. There are two handmade swings available, if you want to bring out your inner child. There's also a maze of smaller stick like trees to get lost in. Not sure what they're called, but they are fun to take selfies in. Once you get out of the woods, you will be led to the Elwood beach bluffs. The ocean view is priceless. Especially on a sunny day. Overall a great place to explore and a hidden gem not to be missed.

    Absolutely lovely!! Soooo many Monarchs!! Was amazing!
    Hannah S.

    Such a fantastic little hidden gem of hiking trails!! I came in search of the migrating Monarchs but the trails were absolutely bursting with all sorts of birds too! Definitely some very easy hiking - hardly any elevation gain and the trails are very well maintained and obvious. The trails are all dirt and a little gravel - I wouldn't suggest they're handicap accessible. The trails start in a residential area - across the street from houses - so be mindful for the residents. You get nice views of mountains all around in the distance. And it's not long before you find yourself in the middle of a eucalyptus forest - which is a favorite of the Monarchs! There are numerous trails that take you all in and out of the eucalyptus forest and this is where you'll find most of the concentration of butterflies. I only saw one moderate sized cluster and the clusters are hard to see - so it's nowhere near the scale and accessibility as the grove at Pismo Beach - but still awesome! There were tons of the Monarchs flying around and sunning themselves in small groups. But for me, the highlight was all the birds!! I even saw two on my life list that I'd been dying to see but hadn't yet (the Cassins Kingbird and the Common Yellowthroat)!! There were so many different species everywhere!! Especially once you get to the coastal oak trees by the beach cliffs. Which was another pleasant surprise- such lovely ocean views from the cliffs! There are several trails and lots of offshoots that take you all around the preserve and out by the coast. It seems like you can go down onto the beach possibly - but I saw signs saying it's a Snowy Plover habitat so I'm not sure it's allowed - just be aware and read the signs. There's lots of shade around the forests but not outside of them so I recommend sunscreen for sure. Parking is street parking and mine was the only car. I believe there's another parking area further down the Main Street as well. Parking and entry is free but there are donation boxes at the trailhead. The trails have some fun information signs along the way. I didn't see any bathrooms so plan ahead. Such an excellent trail system! Will definitely be back!

    You can take the trails out to some stunning ocean views
    Amber E.

    What a beautiful preserve! Loved the trails with all the plants, trees, and so many birds. Also some stunning ocean views. Alas, we solid not see any monarchs on this January morning. But still a wonderful hike. Will definitely return.

    Aileen R.

    Beautiful nature preserve. You first walk by a eucalyptus forest and the nature walk is easy and a reasonable distance. You than come to an open space eith various easy trails which will take you to coastal access. It is definitely family friendly. It is really beautiful here.

    Liz M.

    Awesome little hiking area but I came here when it wasn't butterfly season. It must be a beautiful thing to experience. I'll definitely be back to check em out. Hiking path is for beginners as well so give it a try don't be scared. There's also plenty of parking.

    Steven W.

    I was staying at the Ritz Carlton when I saw the sign that said Butterfly Preserve and was so intrigued but didn't realize that the time of season I went, all butterflies were gone. Overall the preserve is beautiful. Signs point out directions to butterflies. Be mindful as it is a public area and on your own. It is not too strenuous of a walk/hike. There is a parking lot but the GPS took us to a dead end house and the preserve was behind the house so we parked on the street in a residential area.

    Travis W.

    There are times you come here for the butterflies, but mostly you come here for the ocean, the beaches, the views. There's really never a bad time to come here. Always a beautiful and serene place for a jog, cycling or brisk hike along the tranquil coastline.

    Beautiful cliffs
    Richie D.

    Tis the season: Don't miss the Monarch butterflies while they're around! Coronado Butterfly Preserve, also known as Ellwood Preserve, is one of the select few places the beautiful creatures choose to stop and rest on their long 3,000 mile flight south to Mexico. Coastal plants and eucalyptus trees on the 9.3-acre preserve are a safe haven to them with moderate temperatures at the meeting point of the Pacific Ocean and winding Devereux Creek. They normally visit during the short, peak winter window between December and February and are most active during mid-day. The monarchs can easily be confused with fall leaves because they are often clustered together. Since they are 'cold-blooded,' they do not create enough heat from their own metabolism to keep themselves warm and build up enough energy to fly. When the sun hits them, they flutter their colorful wings to energize and warm up. Whether or not you're lucky enough to witness monarchs, the Elwood Preserve and Grove's cliff's and trails are absolutely breathtaking and worth checking out. Notes: The park is open every day of the year from sunrise to sunset and is free of fees. To access a parking lot, use GPS coordinate of 34.429018, -119.897017. You can also enter through a residential neighborhood by turning off Hollister Avenue onto to Coronado Drive until it dead-ends. Due to the recent droughts, the city of Goleta has decided to close off many of the forested areas to avoid human injury from falling trees, however, some areas still remain accessible. Please use caution when visiting and mind all closure signs. Wear boots since there are some muddy spots. Recently there has been more and more trash left behind by visitors. Please pack out what you bring in.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Coronado Butterfly Preserve

    Are dogs allowed on the land?

    I've seen several people walking dogs throughout. Seems like it.

    What months are prime time for seeing the Monarchs?

    December through February

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Coronado Butterfly Preserve

    The monarch butterflies migrate every November through February, but I would recommend coming in the earlier months.

    Mentioned in 24 reviews

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    Goleta Beach Park - Looking back

    Goleta Beach Park

    4.0(87 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    We spent 4th of July weekend in Goleta and hit Goleta Beach on our Saturday afternoon. Was it the…read moreprettiest beach in Santa Barbara? No. But it was pleasant and super easy, with free parking and zero crowd. We'd be lucky to have a beach like it in L.A. The sand wasn't especially nice, I guess, coarse and rocky and full of ocean debris. There was also a water quality advisory out for the day we went, which we only discovered once we had all our stuff set up. Otherwise, though, I have no complaints. The view was beautiful, and we were able to claim a prime spot to put down our friends' massive cabana. We brought chairs and beach toys and spent the afternoon relaxing, as all five kids in our crew were thoroughly entertained. My older boy even enjoyed the rockiness of the beach, collecting several interesting rocks that he requested to take home (we let him pick two). If you're looking for a quiet beach to lay out and entertain children, Goleta Beach is a great option. We had a lot of fun here and would be happy to go back for more rocks and sun.

    I love a walk along a pier, so I ended up here namely for the pier. I had a little wander around…read moreand appreciated the sand and ocean. There might be some renovations going on; there were chain link fences everywhere -- starting from just right of The Ellwood down a bit. The fences made my walk a little more challenging to navigate and a little less scenic, but hopefully they are temporary. I'm happy I stopped, but know for the future to come prepared with anything I might need (e.g. there isn't a coffee shop nearby, so if I want a cup of tea for my walk, come with it.) Since I'm not from the area, I found it a little random to get to, but can see that it's closeby to the airport, the campus, etc. And it has a pier! 2025: 30/100

    Photos
    Goleta Beach Park - Enjoying the views, even on a "May gray" day

    Enjoying the views, even on a "May gray" day

    Goleta Beach Park - View

    View

    Goleta Beach Park - Much pelicanos!

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    Much pelicanos!

    Girsh Park

    Girsh Park

    4.2(17 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    Stayed at Marriott down the street and came here to get the wiggles out. Lovely little park with…read morelots of amenities. I saw baseball and soccer practices, pick up games on the courts, dog walkers, stroller moms, all the usual community park participants. The playground is small and aimed at toddlers but kids will play anywhere there's a slide or stuff to climb on. The grounds were clean and well manicured. One star off for broken bathroom stalls. Also the flowering bushes planted outside the bathrooms attracted tons of bees, which is great! Unless you put them right next to the playground. Terrible horticulture planning IMO.

    Girsh Park is a major reason why I love this neighborhood! Our whole family enjoys walking through…read morethis park every couple of days. The park is beautifully maintained - clean, with nice short grass, decent bathrooms, and good resting and picnicking spots. It's so convenient for a pleasant walk to and from the Camino Real Marketplace - no need to go along busy streets. This is a great park for dogs - lots of space to walk on-leash, hang out on a blanket, or play off-leash fetch. My pup and I also appreciate that they provide dog bags and have plenty of trash cans along the walkway. The park seems very safe. For a year I came here at night with one or two other women, to work out on the basketball court, and we never ran into any trouble. There are also some fun events here - local craft fairs from time to time, and of course the Lemon Fest. Enjoy!

    Photos
    Girsh Park - Lemon fest area 51! Beep beep!

    Lemon fest area 51! Beep beep!

    Girsh Park - Happy 4th 2017

    Happy 4th 2017

    Girsh Park - 4th of July 2017

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    4th of July 2017

    Decker's Cabrillo Park - Takeoff from runway 25 of KSBA as seen from one of the benches

    Decker's Cabrillo Park

    5.0(1 review)
    1.7 mi

    I happened upon this beautifully maintained park up on a hill overlooking the Santa Barbara Airport…read moreand behind Decker's Headquarters. For me, it's the perfect spot to take my dog for a walk. (Note that pets should be leashed.) There are multiple loop gravel trails all under 1 mile--check out the map here: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/deckers-cabrillo-park-goleta?select=GfzL-X1iVYKRzcnrrhRm5w). It's quite shocking how quiet it remains given its proximity to the airport and being directly in the flight path. For kids, it is fun to watch planes take off and land, just bring earplugs. There is a large, green grassy area with a basketball court, volleyball net and picnic tables. When you go down a small hill, you enter Decker's private property so be respectful. This trail is pleasant and among native plants with lizards, bunnies and other creatures running about. Shockingly there was quite a lot of history here since the area was originally a native Chumash settlement (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/deckers-cabrillo-park-goleta?select=iXs_k01LUwoGxavV9dQGfA). Many locals have no idea that the Pacific Ocean's tides use to reach where Hollister Avenue presides... Later, the area became more industrial with the technology and engineering companies moving in to the area. One being Delco which has a plaza here several signs about how it transformed the area and improved technology. Check out, enjoy and care for our local parks!

    Photos
    Decker's Cabrillo Park - Airplane landing/take-off direction light towers

    Airplane landing/take-off direction light towers

    Decker's Cabrillo Park - Available trails aim the park

    Available trails aim the park

    Decker's Cabrillo Park - Be respectful--it's technically private property

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    Be respectful--it's technically private property

    Coronado Butterfly Preserve - parks - Updated May 2026

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